1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to securable containers for valuable items. In particular, the present invention relates to secure cash-in-transit bags for the transportation of banknotes and currency.
2. Description Of Related Art
Many conventional cash-in-transit bags are known, for example EP-B-1,966,069 discloses a secure cash-in-transit bag for installation in a lockable cassette that is removably fitted to a banknote validator. The cash-in-transit bag comprises an aperture plate to which an expandable bag is attached, and banknotes are pushed through an aperture opening in the aperture plate by operation of a stacker assembly pusher plate.
The bag disclosed in EP-B-1,966,069 contains a subassembly that is attached, via elastic members, to both the aperture plate and an inelastic strap member. Successive banknotes are inserted into the bag causing the subassembly to move away from the aperture plate into the cavity of the bag. During operation, a portion of the strap member including an aperture section is aligned with the aperture of the aperture plate allowing banknotes to be inserted. Removal of the cash-in-transit bag from the cassette can only be achieved once the strap member has been pulled to an extended locking position where the aperture of the aperture plate is closed by a sealing portion of the strap member. At this juncture, the only way to access the contents of the bag is by cutting it open or by tampering with the now sealed aperture.
Another conventional tamper-evident cash-in-transit bag is described in GB-B-2,455,558. Here, a plastic bag spans and is attached to a frame. The frame includes lateral channels for slidably receiving a cover plate. The cover plate includes a toothed tongue that meshes with corresponding projections in the frame to form an irreversible lock. The cover plate includes an additional locking part that traps a portion of the bag when the cover plate is in the locked position, and it also includes frangible parts that break easily under pressure.
A problem arises with conventional cash-in-transit bags in that closure of the bags requires separate activation of a subassembly member or locking device. The prior art discussed above involves a complex construction of numerous parts with a commensurately high manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the more complex a device is the higher likelihood there is of malfunction or failure.
The present invention attempts to address some or all of the problems associated with the prior art.